Disclaimer: Characters belong to Disney, not to me.

Chapter 13

"Let's stop here for the night," Shang said as he got off his horse. He was wobbly after riding that long, for he was no longer accustomed to doing so. After he regained some of his balance, Shang started to look for sticks to make a fire with only stopping when Chien Po, Ling, and Yao started to protest. Shang glared at them. "I don't want to stop either, but it's getting late and our horses need a break. We can leave at daybreak."

"Yes, Captain Lee Shang," they muttered as they attended to their horses. Shang tried to listen to their conversation, but couldn't make out what they were saying. Finally giving up, Shang led his horse to a stream close by. He remembered the last time they said that to him.

He had been trying to talk to Mulan alone but every few minutes one of them would interrupt him. When he finally had enough, Shang yelled at them to go clean the horse's stalls. They did, and didn't talk to him the rest of the day. When Shang went to his room, he was shocked to have found a big pile of "mud" on his bed. When he confronted them about it, they pretended to not know what he was talking about. Shang wouldn't admit it to them, but secretly he found it funny after.

After his horse was done, Shang led him to camp. He was shocked at what he found, although it was more of what he didn't see. He surveyed the camp, looking for a sign that they were still there, but there was none. "Looks like we're not stopping after all," he muttered out loud as he climbed on his horse and set off to catch up with them.

Fa Li woke with a start, "Where am I," she thought to herself as she tried to sit up. She heard a groan of protest before looking down to see a man lying down next to her. Only when the man finally opened his eyes and sat up did she recognize who he was.

"Fa Zhou, what are you doing here," she asked him sternly, no longer caring about where she was.

"What are you talking about, Li," Fa Zhou asked her. He looked older than what she remembered. He undeniably didn't have that much gray hair, and his eyes were brighter the last time she saw him.

"We are not yet married; you shouldn't be in my room. What would my family say about this," she lightly scolded him, "what would your family say?" After a brief pause she continued with, "when did you come back from the war?" Fa Li noticed Fa Zhou's facial expression had been transformed from happy to one of worry and despair.

"The war," Fa Zhou sat up, "the war is over."

"Did we win? Did you get hurt?" Fa Li continued her tirade of questions, until she realized Fa Zhou was no longer paying attention. "What's wrong, Fa Zhou?" He didn't answer as he got up to leave, only looking back when he reached the doorway.

"Fa Zhou," she called out just before he closed the door, "can you send my parents in?"

"I don't think I'll be able to do that." And with that, he closed the door.

"Fa Zhou, come back here," she yelled, not getting a response.

Mulan sat down on the chair next to Ping's crib, and started praying to the Ancestors. When she could no longer stay in one place, she began to pace back and forth, a habit she picked up from her father. After hours of pacing back and forth, and of sitting down, did Mulan hear a noise. A baby crying. "Doctor come quick," she yelled moving closer to Ping.

"What is it, Fa Mulan," the doctor panted at the doorway. When she didn't answer, he heard Ping crying. "How is that possible?"

"Who cares how its possible, take care of him…please," Mulan replied, not taking her eyes off of her brother. The doctor did as he was told and soon Ping was sleeping.

"Let me know when he wakes up," the doctor said as he left the room.

"Li Shang, and three others are here to see you,"Wen Xun said as he walked into the room an hour later.

"Shhh…he's sleeping," Mulan whispered quickly, not wanting Ping to wake up.

"I'll watch him, you need a break anyway." Wen Xun ushered her out the room, keeping the door open. When Mulan walked to the front door, she paused only a moment before opening the door. She tried to greet them but stopped when her eyes met Shang's. She couldn't look away, she couldn't find words to say.

"Can we come in," Chien Po, finally asked, stirring Mulan out of her contemplation.

"Oh yes, yes of course." Before Shang and Mulan could step through the door, Ling shut the door and locked them out. "Ling, let's us in, please!"

"No can do. I'll let both of you back in after your done talking."

Mulan sat on the steps, her head falling into her hands. She didn't hear Shang come behind, but she heard him when he asked, "Are you okay?"

"I honestly don't know anymore, Shang. Everything has been happening so fast, and I don't know who I can depend on." She stared out into the distance, not really staring at anything particular.

"You know you can depend on me," Shang hugged her; "I know we have our ups and downs, but I can't imagine my life without you."

Mulan looked at Shang, "Do you really mean that?"

"Of course I do. Besides, who else is going to correct me when I'm wrong?" Mulan laughed at that. "Come on let's go inside."